Ammunition supply system for automatic firearms



septhlfi, 19 52 2,610,549

EVELYN cacu. MUSCHAMP D'ASSIS FONSECA ETAL AMMUNITION SUPPLY SYSTEM FORAUTOMATIC FIREARMS Filed July 11, 194a 4 Shee ts-Sheec 1 l/V Vf/V 7'02 55 GM 0145.575 FO/VJECA Spin/6'52 6255M ATTORNEYS 6A w m H N o, M m .6 N024m a /FG m mm W 4 5a d 0PM M a w E X B YN CECIL MUSCHAMP D'ASSISFQNSECA AMMUNITION SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC FIREARMS Sept. 16, 1952EVEL Flled July 11 1946 Sept. 16, 1952 2,610,549

EVELYN czcn. MUSCHAMP D'ASSIS FONSECA EIAL AMMUNITION SUPPLY SYSTEM FORAUTOMATIC FIREARMS Filed July 11, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet I5 ATTORNEYS 4Sept. 16, 1952 2,610,549

EVELYN CECIL MUSCHAMP D'ASSIS FONSECA ErAL AMMUNITION SUPPLY SYSTEM FORAUTOMATIC FIREARMS Filed July 11, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS E. C.M. D'ASSIS FONSECA SPENCER GREEN yMww 7Z ATTYS' Patented Sept. 16, 1952AMMUNITION SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC FIREARMS Evelyn Cecil MuschampdAssis Fonseca and Spencer Green, Bristol, England, assignors to TheBristol Aeroplane Company Limited, Bristol, England, a British companyApplication July 11, 1946, Serial No. 682,844 In Great Britain March 6,1945 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires March 6,1965 This invention concerns improvements in or relating to ammunitionsupply systems forautomatic firearms of the kind in which the ammunitionis disposed remotely of the firearm.

To enable ammunition to pass from the source of supply to the firearm itis customary to form the ammunition into a belt which is drawn towardsthe firearm during operation of the latter.

If the ammunition belt is drawn along a chute to the firearm the linksof the belt maintain the long axis of the rounds of ammunitionsubstantially parallel and as a consequence the belt may travel in onedirection along a straight line path, the side of the chute (that is theportions thereof which lie adjacent the base and nose of the rounds)being disposed parallel to said path.

Prior to the rounds of ammunition entering the firearm the belt isdisintegrated to separate the rounds of ammunition from the connectinglinks,

: a stripper mechanism being provided for this purpose. 7 Usually thestripper mechanism is mounted on the gun so that the belt isdisintegratedimme- .diately prior to the j rounds being fed into thebreech. When solocated the general field of View gisreduced for thegunner which is a particular .disadvantage when the firearm is mountedin tur- 1 rets such as for tanks, high-speed motor boats I and aircraftIn such installations it'is' desirable I therefore to place the strippermechanism at a distance from the firearm." This arrangement .requiresthat the chute along which the disintegrated ammunition passes be curvedto conform .with the natural tendency of the ammunition ,to movein acurved path in view of the fact vthatthe cartridge cases are tapered, l.e. the long axis of the rounds are inclined to on another.

Ifhe present invention has for its object to provide means wherebyseparated rounds of ammu "ni tion (i. e. ammunition which is notconnected together by links to form a belt) are maintained 1 withtheirlong axis parallel to one another so that theroundswillmove alongastraight-line path.

According-to "the present invention an ammuvm n s pl svsi m er atifirearms of ;the kind; hereinbei'ore set forth is characterised in thatthe roundsof am'munitionytravel over at least apart of the path from thesource of supply ;.to the firearm I in a separated condition and in thatas the ammunitionis fed towards'thefirearm each roundisautomaticallyengaged by a spacing memb er which is carried alongtherewith so that ithe'long-aiics bijth rounds are maintained sub- Ilstantially parallel toone another asthe ammuni-. premieres-none thepath referred to, said separatingi member. being automaticallydisengaged9 Claims. (Cl. 8933) chine guns 'generally indicated. by; the referenceammunition supply system,

' rounds,

I part of thesiipply system, 7

- immediately prior to firearm.

Figure 1, and

munition chutes.' I A single belt of ammunition passesimm e source ofsupply located within the fuselage-to 'the bottom of the turret and.enteringfithe' latter 2 from the round prior to the latter entering gun.

Preferably the number of separating members is less than the number ofrounds with which they are to be used and said separating members travelfrom their position of engagement with the rounds to their position ofdisengagement thereof and thence back to their position of engagement ina closed circuit, the separating members being repeatedly used. y

A specific embodiment of the present invention will now be described, byway of example, as applied to an ammunition supply system'jior use inconjunction with a gun turret which is located on the upper surface ofthe fuselageof an aircraft. The description will be made with referenceto the accompanying drawings whereof,"

Figure '11s a diagrammatic view showing the the Figure 2 is a schematicdetail of the system with some cartridges shown in section,

Figure 3 is a sectional view to an enlarged scale on the line 33 ofFigure l and showing' the specing members being applied to the rounds ofammunition, 1 .L

Figure 4 is a'section on the'line 4+4 o'fiFigure 1 showing a round ofammunition with'a spacing 7 member thereon travelling withinthechutetowards a'firearm, H

Figure 5 is a section on the line5--'5 of'Figure 1 showing a round ofammunition with a spacing Jmember and another spacing member beingreturnecl to its position of engagement with the Figure 6 is a sectionalview, to an enlarged scale, on the 1ine ti -f Figure 8 showing adetailof Figure '7 is a sectional viewon the line T-Tof Figure 1'showing the means which is provided to remove the spacing members fromthe roun'ds the rounds being fed. into the Figure Sis a view in thedirection oifarrow'fl of Figure 9 is a detail of a part of one of-the ampasses; upwardly towards a'pair oi c'annon manumper it n u e J h ammuon. belt passes from the source f a chute which is anchored atra point bturret andi on the axis of I c et's? s p lyv t the tu t-b l closed inPatent 2,481,"i26;-.v Means-are, provided whereby the supply chute andhence the:.ammu-' nition belt therein is permitted to be twisted by theturret about its anchorage from a. datumzposition through a completecircle whereupon. itis automatically untwisted and brought back to thedatum position. The source of ammunition-sum ply, the supply chute, theanchorage for thel atter and the means for automatically untwistin thesupply chute are not shown in the accompanying drawings as these form nopart of the *presentinvention:

The. ammunition belt is. disintegrated. in. the 'fstrippen-.,mech.anism.and. the separated. rounds 2 .om' the; single belt? are. fed'by saidmechanism to'thefpai'r. of. machine guns, the arrangementIb'eingTthat.separated rounds. from the. stripper j: mechanism Ware,"delivered. into a'passageway l"3(Figure'I) which terminates .ata forkl'4,,,each branch of which leads into an accumulator chute Eachaccumulator chute is. pivotallymounted Q-a'sat'lfifand'isfconnectedwith. saidfork by a telescopiclarm l1 (see. Figure9);. Each accumul'atorl. chute is urgedi'by anv associated'spring 23 Cw11)., soj that the telescopic portion is ofminimum"length"andtheiarrangement is such that when rpundshoi ammunition; are.fed into the chutes a "certainnumber of them accumulate th'erein, the vtelescopic,arm of thejchute' l1 being extended'for this purpose."Thegright-handfichute IBf'shown in Figure. l. isin th position invjwhichthe telescopic "arm is" ofljminimumv length. and no rounds are ac- Icumulatedfin" the" chute: 1,5 whilst the left-hand chute I"has*beenshown in theposition in .which.

- "ratearrouhds are fed" along the passageway 13 fsucbes'siva roundsautomatically pass alternately "intd'the pair ofaccumulator chutes l5."Inorder to regulate. the passage of the rounds of ammuni- .of, themachine, guns is out ofjcornmission there disposedfat, tuej'roikilatand.associated. with each. accumulator chute I 5] a deflector plate.

.1 t .-v'villbeclearirom .what. has been. said. above that separatedrounds of ammunition arefed rennet-the p s ewa .13- tn he ee .1' -'-'Peach accumulator chute I5 and along -:its associated; adit; Itv to oneof the-machineguns I0.;-

With the disintegration of the ammunitionibelt,

' the lgng axis of eachround of ammunition is snot-longer.- maintainedgenerally parallel to, one iianotheriiand'. the; rounds-have a naturaltendency Ii iancnoredito afiiced' support. 40,..Figure.

' witlijsuchf'a' construction when the sepa-- and adits is undesirablein view of the compound curvatures which are necessary-and the present 4invention generally proposes that; the. rounds of ammunition shall bemaintained parallel to one 5 another as they travel from the strippermechanism 1 2 to each machine gun It). This is achieved by placing aring 19 (see Figure 4) on thenose of each projectile 20 prior to thebelt passing intothe stripper mechanism I2, the ring 0-. having. adiameter substantially equal to that oil theibasetoi the: round.Immediately prior to each: rouncli of ammunition being fed into thegunbreech the ring 19 is removed and-returned 1711391. convenient pointfor re-use with the s'uc ceeding rounds of ammunition which are beingfed towards-the -firearms.

The following description of the means by which. aring is placed on andremoved from each projectile is made with-reference to the ammunitionsupply for one machine gun and it is to be understood that" similarmeansis also provided for the other gun; h 1 "j Aringflchutergenerally'indicatedby'therefterence numeral; 2-1 in Figure Iis provided which extends-froma point ahead of theadmission side ofthe-stripper-mechani'sm' IT to afork lz which branches into a pair' ofaccumulator chutes 24 each of which is connected with an adi-t 25 whichextends towards'theassociated gun H]. In" order to prevent, confusionbetweenthe passageway,

accumulator chutes and adits for" theammunitiOn' andfor'the: ringsthe"formefwill be referred to' as the ammunition passagewam; ammunitionaccumulator chutes'and ammunition adit sitvhilst the latter" will be.referred to a'sthe ring passageway; ring accumulator'chutesand 'ring'aditsr- 5 Each ring accumulator chute 24 is' of'similar constructiontothe 'amm-unition' accumulator chutes I 5: v That'iseachring-accumulator ispw- 4Q otally mounted at 26 so that itsho'rizr'mta-larm 21' is movable" towards and away from the ring forki2 2i' Thehorizontal arm l1 which isconnectedtothe form Z'ZiiS te-Iescopic (beingofsimilar construction tothe arrangement-oi Figure-9) to providea*continucus* channel for; thef'rings "irrespective of the positionpfthe ring 'acc'umulator chute relative-to theiringi'forki Each ri'n gaccumulator chute' 'is spring-urged so that the length of the telescopicarm 2-1" is a minimum and as a consequencethe rings lying within 3 the'ring accumulator chute are u'rged along-said chute; I 4 The-ringsf9are'placedon'the noseoftheproj'ectil'es priorito-the rounds ofammunitiomentering the stripper-mechanism l2, (as'willjbe hereinafter?described) and the rounds with" their "rings' are fedalongi't-heammuntion passageway intothe ammunition accumulator chutesand thustothe"- ammunition adit'saiid the" Since each projectile carries one ofthe the rounds'of-ammun ition id will -be mai-ntained paraller tooneanother-as they passj from -the to movelsin accurved path asmentionediabovei -As Q COnSECiUGITCQthG passageway-t3; ammunitionvcorrespondammunition are fed. in one-direction through their associatedpassageway, accumulator and adit, towardsthe gun the rings removed fromthe projectilesof said ammunition are fed along the ring adit,accumulator and passageway in the opposite direction towards the turretchute l Associated with each branch of the ammunition fork 22 is asprocket 28 (the ammunition sprocket) the teeth of which are adapted toengage the rounds of ammunition 25 (see Figuresl and 2) as they are fedinto eachaccumulator.

'Since the rounds of ammunition as'they pass through each branch of thefork M are spaced apart by. a constant amount as mentioned above,

7 the sprockets '28 will readily engage with the rounds of ammunitionand willbe rotated by the ammunition as the latter is fed towards theguns. Similarly a sprocket 29 (the ring sprocket) is associated witheach branch of the ring fork 22 the teeth of said sprocket engaging withthe rings as they pass from the ring accumulators 24 into the ringpassageway 2 I. The ammunition sprocket 28 and the ring sprocket 29 areassociated with each branch of the forks l4 and22 and are connectedtogether through gearing generally indicated by the reference numeral 30(Figure 2) so that as each round of ammunition passes into an ammunitionaccumulator chute the associated ammunition sprocket 28 is rotated todrive the ring sprocket .29 and permitone of the rings l9 in thecorresponding ring accumulator chute 24 to passinto the ring passageway2 I. It will be clear therefore that the rings l9 from the two ringaccumulator chutes 24are permitted to pass into thering passageway 21 atthe same rate and in the same order as the rounds of ammunition 2e arefed into the associated ammunition accumulator chutes l5. 7

Th ring passageway 2| is connected with the turret chute ll through theagency of an acchute H is taken up. Thislaccumulaton chute will bereferred to hereinafteras the ring passage accumulator. I

"The ring passage accumulator 3| is'attached to the side wall of theturret chute! l which lies adjacent the projectiles of the ammunitionbelt and communicates with the chute by an opening in said side wall-seeFigure 3. The ringpa'ssage'accumulator 3| merges into theturret chute lladjacent saidopening so that as the rings l9 travel out of theaccumulator they enter the chute ll through said opening in a directiontransversely of the chute, that is, with a movement towardstheprojectiles of the ammunition belt. To ensure that when the ringsreach said 2 opening they do not fall into the turret chute II strip 32is provided to engage the face of the rings which is directed towardsthe projectiles] The i. guide strip 32 is such as to-leave the centralhole of the rings exposed (Figure 4). In this way the rings [9 arebrought into engagement with the nose of the projectiles so that each ofthe latter passes through the central hole of one ring. It is to beunderstood that the guide strip 32 is provided on both sides of theturret chute H: as is shown in Figure 4 and that said guide stripextends over the length of the turret chute I l which lies between thepoint of admission of the ring passageway 21 to the chute and the entryto the stripper mechanism l2.

The rings in the ring passage accumulator 3| are maintained in contactwith each other since said accumulator is spring-urged to assume itscontracted position whilst the projectiles of-the ammunition belt arespaced apart to a greater extent than said rings by the linkswhich-connect the rounds together. With a view to spacing the rings sothat one is brought into proper alignment with each round of ammunitionas'the rings pass from the ring passage accumulator 3| into the turretchute H as described with reference to Figure 3, there is provided aspacing device 36 which comprises a pairof discs v33 of polygonaloutline (see Figure 6).. An endless belt 34 passes around the pair ofdiscs 33, the belt being provided with a plurality of fingers 35suitably shaped so that each of said fingers engages one ring as it isdelivered into theturret chute II from the ring passage accumulator 31..The fingers 35 are arranged so that they will spacethe rings apart tothe same extent as the distance between adjacent rounds of beltedammunition. The discs 33 and endless belt 34 carrying. the fingers 35are disposed to ensure that the ring We will be in full engagement withthe projectile of one round, the next ring l9b will be in partialengagement therewith and the third ring |9c will not yet have engagedits associated projectile. The endless belt is rotated by the belt ofammunition through the agency of the rings Illa, lab as the ammunitionis drawn along the turret chute ll towards the stripper l2, i

Since the fingers 35 space the rings I9 to the same extent as the roundsof ammunition in the belt and are driven by the latter it follows thateach ring as it ismoved inwardly'from the accumulator 3| to chute H isbrought accurately into alignment with one of the projectiles.

The'rings are removed from the projectiles immediately prior to therounds of ammunition entering the gun. To this end thering adit 25 isattached to the side wall of the. ammunition adit iii which liesadjacent the projectiles of the ammunition belt and communicationbetween the pair of adits is permitted by an opening j in said sidewall. The ring adit 25 branches away from the-ammunition adit 8 at saidopening and a guide strip 37 is provided adjacent said opening to engagethe ringsand direct them from the ammunition adit l 8 through theopening and into the ring adit 25, the arrangement being that as therounds of ammunition pass towards the gun the guide strip 3! draws therings jofi the noseof the projectiles and when this operation iscompleted directs them into-the ring adit In order to prevent the roundsof ammunition 25 moving axially towards the inclined wall convnectingthe edits 25 and i8. during removal of the rings, a ramp 38 isprovidedto engage the inclined shoulder 39 onthe cartridge case of therounds of ammunition; lhe ramp 38 also serves to support the rounds ofammunition so thatthey are maintainedin spacedrelationshipiand aretherefore, easily fed "into the gun. Instead of a ramp 33 a lip may beprovided to engage the extraction groove 40 in the base of the cartridgecases.

The rings which have been drawn oil? the noses of the projectiles asdescribed above pass along tithe ring Jadit ZSiand no. backato :the:ring: passage accumulator =3]? :in' ztherimanner indicated... ic-Itwillibe appaizentjherefore that-a limitedznumber :of';rings.. are :in,continuous use to :serve .a yery emuchzlarser number. of :rounds. -ofammunition.

We claim: V I

:1; ammunition supply system for anautomatimfireann comprising astripper :mechanism z-ndapted to :be disposed :at :a distanceziromialfirecrarmiforreceivingzaibelttoi annnunition;and.sepa- :rating:the links connecting the "rounds in the heltyia 'chutexcommunicatedwith the stripper mechanism for. ,:r.eceiv.ing "the separated :roundstandzzed ptedito be connectedto a firearm to in- Qtmduce therounds insuccessive fashion. into .Lthe

i. flrearmraplurality :of SPaCBIJmGmbEIS, 11183 1 8101-.introducing.theispacer members into thestripper .:mechanism.: andfor-applying a spacer member to "reach around so'thatrthe roundspassathrough the chute in:parallel relationship, means for remov- :ing:the members from the rounds immediately "prior to ;the Vpointwof.introduction of the rounds to-the firearmand'means'for conveyingthememberszso removedback- .tothemeans for introducing :them .into the.stripper mechanism. 2; Anammunitionsupplysystem for an automaticfirearmcomprisinga stripper mechanism ndaptedto be disposed at a distanceirom'a fire- :varm ifori receiving a belt of ammunition and (separatingthe links connectingithe rounds inthe belt, a chute communicated withthe stripper mechanism for receiving the separated rounds and adapted-tobeconnected toa firearmpto in- :troduce the roundsin'successive fashioninto the "firearm, aplurality of. spacer members, means for -feeding thespacer members into the stripper mechanism, and for applying a spacermember to each round so that the rounds pass through the chute inparallel relationship, means for removing the members from the roundsimmediately .priorto the-point i introduction of the rounds to thefirearm and a chute for conveying the :members so removed back to themeans for introducing them into the stripper mechanism.

.3. The combination of claim 2, "whereinvsaid means for feedingsaid-members comprises a'telescopic chute, resilient means normallyretaining said chute in a contracted position so that the members areforced against one another, said chute being communicated with thestripper .mechanism. y I

4'. The combination of claim '2, wherein: said members are in ring formand engage concentrically-onthe noses of the rounds, and said feedingand applying means for the members "includes.

' achute communicated withthe stripper-mechafnism and guide means formoving the members transversely of the stripper mechanismand'longitudinally of the rounds.

The combination of claim 4, including 53 iiandi-ipassing separate roundstowards. iflrearm, .Faehute communicated with the, strippertmecha-'inism receiving, the separate .rounds and adapted to beconhectedtothefirearm forintroducing the ,5 rounds .into :the firearm, aplurality f, spacer members; :ac'spacing mechanism connected to thestripping mechanism. and driven by the :moving zammunition belt, saidmembers being moved in spaced stashion :by the spacing mechanism: and 10.aligned. with themunds to which they aretto be :applied, guide :meansconnecting the spacing mechanism to =the in1et of. the strippermechanism :and arranged to .introducethe members :intoithentrippermechanism-so that the members are-engaged on one .of the ends of. the:rounds, .whereby-thexounds are'maintained in the chute.rin'parallel-relationship, meansjor-removing said -:members :from the.rounds immediately prior to the-entrance :of itheirounds into thefirearm and 320.43,, chute receiving the members as they "are .re-

:movedzfor conveying the members back to :the

.spacing'mechanism. V

. ."Z. .The combination of. :claim 6, wherein-said .last chuteincludesatelescopic section'which is spring-urged to contract so thatthe spacing niembersathereinznre forced against one-another.

'8. The, ceombination of claim v6, wherein :a

sprocket-isxdisposed-in the chute for'the rounds and a sprocket isdisposedin the chute-returning the :members :to the spacing "mechanism,and

gearing drivingly connects the sprockets together i so thatroneg-memberand one round with a :mem-

ber thereon passesiin the chutes at a time.

ammunition :supply system for automatic firearms comprising a strippermechanism adapted'to be remotely spaced from'the firearms .andjhavingxaninlet'iorreceiving a belt crammunition. said mechanism drawing the belttowardsthefirearms and separating the linkscon- .4o-n ctin theroundstogether, a. chute communicated with the stripper mechanism forreceiving the separate. rounds, telescopic branches on-said chute andadapted to be connected to the firearms. spring 'means normallyretaining the branches in contracted position, a plurality of spacingmembers, each adapted to engage one of the rounds within -;the strippingmechanism, means foralienin themembers'with the rounds and feed n themonto the rounder-means ferremoving the members from the roundsprior tothe .entranceoi the mu dsinto the-firearms, .a rertnrnxchn eiforjtheremoved members connected tothei me n f r .i'e ding. the. members ontothe round, telescopic brancheswon :said'rreturnchute communicatedwiththejmeans for rem ving the mem ersfrom theroundsand'sprine meansre-' taming said last branches-in e 'escoped position.

EVELYN e 5 .o A-ssisnonsncs. e r

, nnrnnnnciisjcrren Theiollowing references are of record in the vfilepft tiiistpatent: I i V j ,"nm'm is'rATEs .PAtmNTs Numberg mnc 7 :Date1,332,0 0-

"Pacilli. Feb.'24, 1.920 1,907,3, 12 17 Carroll l. May .2, 19.33 2,36,395 :Hall ,i...n,.c.. we Ja -2.1 9

